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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146357">Eudaemonia</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyclarke/pseuds/saeyoungs-sunflower'>saeyoungs-sunflower (sunnyclarke)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Word Series [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mystic Messenger (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bathing/Washing, Caretaking, Comfort, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Sleepy Cuddles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:26:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyclarke/pseuds/saeyoungs-sunflower</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>eudaemonia (n.): “human flourishing”; a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>V | Kim Jihyun/Main Character, V | Kim Jihyun/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Word Series [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Eudaemonia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Every footstep provided you more reasons to believe that your bones were made of lead and your muscles made of putty. You could feel your energy flow out of you with each heavy crash your foot made against the unrelenting concrete, your legs working on auto-pilot to get you home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hues of orange and pink had dyed the sky by the time you finished work, and your eyelids grew heavier and stickier with every tick of the clock leading to the end of your shift. But the weight of the day was next to nothing compared to the high spirits from a satisfying job well done, from the knowledge that a difference had been made because of your efforts. You had helped people smile today, and that, you believed, was far more beautiful than the effect of the sun bidding farewell to yet another day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now you just wanted to be with him, to be in his arms and in your shared sanctuary. You made it to your front door quicker than you expected, unable to recall when concrete ended and carpet began as you almost collapsed through the doorway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m home, Jihyun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It came out as more of a croak, and the fact that he heard it surprised you. Or perhaps it shouldn’t have, really; he never failed to be right where you needed him. Rounding the corner, he met you halfway between the front door and the kitchen, silently tucking you into his embrace upon sight as he folded his strong arms around your crumpling form. Jihyun held you up, causing the tension that clung to your body to release its fierce grip and melt away, giving you the strength to snake your arms around his middle, pulling him closer to you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He placed a chaste kiss on your forehead before pulling back to push the loose strands of hair away from your face, “What do you need?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jihyun chuckled, the resonance causing warmth to tickle your skin. He considered your request for a moment, “That sounds reasonable. Did you already eat at work?” You nodded. “Okay. We’ll have a shower and then go to bed, does that sound okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a nod and a smile, you let him lead you to the bathroom. As you waited for the shower to run warm, Jihyun carefully helped you undress, smoothly unzipping and gliding your uniform off your body and throwing it into the laundry basket, before undressing himself. You both let the hot water kiss your flesh whilst he shampooed your hair, blunt nails scratching deliciously against your scalp. Soapy hands tenderly roamed your body, over every curve, crease and contour as you idly observed the drain, watching the burdens of the day flow out of sight with the suds, leaving you almost intoxicated with tranquility as you focussed on Jihyun’s tender touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You stepped out of the shower together as you grabbed a towel and wrapped it around your form, making your way to the bedroom. You perched on the edge of your bed as Jihyun sifted through the wardrobe, taking out one of his t-shirts before carefully pulling it over your head. He dried your hair, he hummed to you, he tucked you in. You found it hard to believe that he was even real, let alone that you were the one he chose to care for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And finally, there you laid, one of his hands in your hair whilst the other absentmindedly drew circles in the dip of your waist, practised fingertips leaving pleasant goosebumps in its wake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The subtle moonlight filtering through the curtains provided you with just enough light to see his features. You noted the light flush of his cheeks and the glow of his cheekbones. You observed the hair at the base of his neck where it had grown a little long, curling softly from the water. You examined the creases by his eyes - a memento of his joy. Your face was tucked into the crook of his neck as you inhaled the remnants of soap and something that was indescribably him. The taste of bliss lingered on every nerve in your body as you filled your senses with everything that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But no matter how hard you swatted it away, one thought kept crawling its way back into your otherwise hazy mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jihyun, do you think I’m doing enough?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He softly ran his nose through the gap between your eyebrows and down the bridge of your nose before gently rubbing the tip against his own, “I would argue that you do more than enough, my love. I think you should worry about yourself more than you do, and I also think you need a break.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But people need my help, and this is nothing compared to what I’ve seen people go through today. And I get to come home to you, so what’s a little bit of fatigue? I really shouldn’t complain.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jihyun pulled back to observe your features, concern etching his own, “You’re an angel, did you know that? Just because other people may have it worse doesn’t mean you lose the right to acknowledge your own struggles,” he moved his hand to the small of your back, pulling you closer to him, your head drooping to lay on his chest. He pressed his lips against your forehead, “If someone else in the world in his happier or more fortunate than you, does that mean that you can’t be happy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You smiled against warm skin, “No, I suppose not,” you whispered, almost interrupting yourself with a yawn that erupted unexpectedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A chuckle bubbled in his chest whilst he continued to run his fingers through your hair, “We’ll talk about this more tomorrow. Get some rest now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You placed a light kiss against his jaw before returning to your place on his chest, the soft thumping of his heart providing the perfect lullaby, “Thank you. For everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s my pleasure. Anything for you, sweet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As your eyelids grew heavier and your breaths more even, you considered his previous words, smiling to yourself. You came to the conclusion that, for once, Jihyun Kim was wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because in the silence of your bedroom and the steady rise and fall of his chest, just before the will of sleep overcame you, you realised that his analogy was deeply flawed. Because everyone else was irrelevant. Because you were certain, in that moment, that you were the happiest and most fortunate person in the world.</span>
</p>
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